How long are AV hardware lead times in 2026?

AV hardware lead times in 2026 range from 1 to 16 weeks depending on category, with standard displays and certified video bars at the fast end (1 to 3 weeks from UK distribution) and dvLED video walls and matrix switching at the slow end (8 to 16 weeks, often build-to-order from China or EMEA factories). The post-2020 supply chain has stabilised but stock-versus-order behaviour still varies sharply by product family, which means project sequencing matters more than headline price when you procure for a fixed install date.

Custom programmed control is not strictly a hardware lead time. Crestron, Q-SYS or Extron processors usually arrive within the codec window, but the programming and commissioning effort itself runs 2 to 6 weeks in parallel and is tracked as a separate line on the equipment supply and project schedule. For multi-site programmes spanning several countries an international AV partner will pre-position long-lead items at regional distribution to avoid customs and shipping windows compressing the install week.

The practical rule is to order long-lead items at design freeze, not at install start. Locking dvLED, Crestron NVX and large-format displays at the moment the BOM is signed off, then layering in faster-moving displays and video bars closer to install, keeps the programme on date without sitting on inventory.

Quick reference: standard displays 1-3 weeks, VC bars 1-3 weeks, large-format and DSP 4-8 weeks, AV-over-IP 6-10 weeks, dvLED 8-16 weeks.